A Harsh Lesson
by The Burning Pillar
Summary: "Remember, that you will know. Reflect, that you may understand." A short one-shot/potential prequel to a much larger story, which concerns the fate of a certain snow leopard after his defeat in the Valley of Peace.


***Takes a bow and waves***

 **Hey everyone! I'm an** **old timer here in Fanfiction. If you wish to know more about me, feel free to check my profile out. Just don't expect much though.**

 **Anways, welcome to mah first ever fanfic! I'll spare you guys the trouble of having to read my the rest Author's Notes, (which isn't really that long) so I'll save it at the end of this fic. For now, feel free to enjoy the ride.**

 ** _Disclaimer_ : **I don't own Kung Fu Panda and everything within its universe. Even if I did, I probably wouldn't have a clue as to what to do with such a burden, but admittedly the idea of owning it is an awesome one, and not to mention cool. Please note that _I am a poor writer AND researcher_ , so I do apologize for any mistakes/errors in grammar, any historical inaccuracies, etc etc. you may spot in my story/s. That being said, may I kindly ask you to notify me, so that I may rectify said errors. Also, feel free to review or send me a PM, whether to ask a question, compliment, complain, rant, blah blah. Just know I'm all ears.

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Darkness.

An endless expanse of darkness pervaded his mind and every single part of his being. He could not move, nor could he feel anything – _anything_ at all; he could not even speak. An empty feeling of nothingness resonated from within his very core. In a way, he felt…. detached from the world, as if he had finally become a spirit of the ether. Strangely enough, the darkness felt comforting, satisfying even, almost enough to make him completely sink into its welcoming embrace….. almost.

As though his soul had returned to its mortal vessel, he slowly regained consciousness. Each of his senses reawakened, as if he were waking up from a very deep sleep, and the first thing he registered was that he was lying down, facing upwards on a smooth yet hard surface. Strange… it felt vaguely familiar to him. Then light - radiant and burning light – pierced heavily through his closed eyelids, to which he instinctively shielded his eyes by raising his right muscular arm. He shook his head to rid the harsh and painful glare – where in bloody hell was that light coming from? He answered his own question by pushing himself into a sitting position with one arm, and slowly lowered the other from his eyes as he hesitantly opened them. Light blinded his vision for moment, making him squint to see better, before it all faded and allowed him to feast his eyes upon the weirdest thing he's ever seen, one that literally made his eyes widen and his jaw drop in utter shock and awe.

Above, and far along the horizon, bathed in golden light, was a sky filled with rocks of every kind of shapes and sizes, all of which were floating seamlessly through the air as though they weighed nothing more than a feather. There were rocks that looked nothing more than normal rocks, formed through natural means, while others looked… man made. Upon closer inspection, he noticed telltale signs that were blatantly there – some rocks were actually parts of a man made structure, with one example, looking very much like a short section of the Great Wall of China, cut cleanly at the sides as though some giant decided to take a knife to it. Next, he saw monoliths that had houses and temples built on their peaks, and others that had pillars embedded on their flat surfaces. He even saw one such mountain shaped rock of such great size with a gleaming city built next to its peak

He didn't know how long he gawked at this bizarre sight. It was all so… surreal, almost as if magic were at work here. And with a start, he noted that everything floating in sight, was just…. rocks. Everywhere he looked, on and on it was an endless sea of floating solids, each moving at a speed that would've put a tortoise gait to shame. Floating….

His eyebrows furrowed as a thought occurred to him. If everything here was floating through the air, then that must mean…

As if noticing for the first time, he looked down, and saw a drop-off literally in front him. With a startled gasp, he quickly stood and took a step back, nearly slipping and falling to-who-knows-where as the heel of his left foot met thin air. Turning his head wildly, he looked at the bottom, and saw nothing but the same space filled with random rocks with no end in sight. The sight made his mind whirl, and a sliver of fear and uncertainty coursed through him. What in the world was going on? Where was he? How did he get here? The last thing he remembered was, was….

He shook his head with a frustrated growl. He knew who he was, and knew that he had learned kung fu at a very young age. But strangely, he could not recall anything else other than that. It was as if his own memories were eluding him, dancing just an inch beyond his reach, but never circling any closer.

With all the discipline and courage he had, he slowly took a deep breath to calm and center himself, all the while struggling to quell his rising panic as his mind tried to process all this. It would not help him here, and finding his memories would have to wait. For now, he had to come up with a plan, and choose what course of action to take. After a brief inspection, he deduced that the floating rock he was standing on was nothing more than a small outcropping of rock roughly circular in shape, if the edges of its circumference were any indication, with the smooth surface he was standing on just being wide enough for him to place his two feet apart.

He looked down, and saw that it wasn't exactly smooth as polished stone. In fact, the ground was tiled, made of gravel. He frowned; he didn't have a clue as to _how_ he knew it, but the intricate lining and pattern of the tiles… it looked like the rock he was standing on was the part of an area of land at the foot of a set of stairs, meaning that somehow, this outcropping was ripped up from the ground itself.

He frowned. Why this mere hunk of rock so familiar…

A thundering clash from afar made him swivel around in alarm. To his left, he could make out two monstrous, mountain shaped rocks crashing into each other in the distance, creating a sound that could only be described as thunder and an earthquake occurring at the same time. It was then that he decided this outcropping couldn't be safe. He had to get to better ground, one that actually had enough space for him to maneuver around.

Beams of light suddenly appeared at the corners of his eye, suddenly reminding him of the golden light that shone upon him moments ago. Following the direction from whence they appeared, he found the source of this mysterious light in the far east, with countless numbers of both man made structures and natural rock formations blocking the light from spreading further in his direction. Good – now he knew which direction to go. The only problem was, how to get to that direction.

He decided to test his theory by focusing on another rock – this one the size of a small house – a short distance from him, which was floating steadily upwards. Steeling himself, he dropped to the ground on all fours, preparing the powerful muscles in his legs, and with all the grace and power only a feline could possessed, he hurled himself towards to sky. Such was the power of his leap that he traversed the intervening distance in a single bound. Nearing the rock, he unsheathed his sharp claws, squared his muscular arms, and gripped the uneven side of the rock, effectively stopping his forward momentum. So it could work... he was afraid that if he had no solid surface to firmly plant himself onto, he might simply drift aimlessly as the rocks before him.

So he leaped, again and again without the slightest bit of effort from one random rock to another as he followed the direction of the light. He did not know how much time had passed – in fact, in this place it seemed immaterial, as he didn't pick up any signs that time was passing at all. What was worse, aside from the fact that it was a completely monotonous trek, the number of rocks lessened to the point he had difficulty choosing which ones to jump to, which also forced him to jump even farther than what he would've like.

Relief came after the nth rock he had leaped to, as he had started to receive signs that he was nearing his goal. With each distance he crossed, he could feel the air becoming increasingly warmer, as well as his surrounding brightening to an almost painful luminosity due to the lesser number of rocks. Then, quite suddenly, after his last leap, a great shadow fell upon him and his surroundings, and once more, he had to stare at the huge monstrosity looming over him.

One lone rock stood – _floated_ , before him. But only, this one was easily the size of one of the mountains of the Himalayan Ranges – a veritable, floating gigantic piece of the earth literally floating through the air. The base of the mountain alone stretched on for miles, and the peak rose on until it all but towered over everything else, and the top was but a minuscule speck of white against the golden heavens above him. Other men would've groaned, and despaired at the sight, but not him. He was nothing if determined to achieve his goal.

And suddenly, as if noticing for the first time, he realized he wasn't drained, not even hungry or thirsty, from all the effort he exerted into traveling this far. He was proud to say that he could run continuously for hours on end without rest, and survive for a few days without any food or water, but even he had limits. He had lost count of how many times he had leaped from rock to rock, but he fancied his last one (which was also the farthest) to be in the hundreds, if not thousand. He thought this strange, but then again he was in a place where the laws of nature did not exist at all.

He narrowed his eyes and cracked his neck – more for show than practicality, and gathered the energy into his powerful haunches, before fearlessly leaping once more onto his last obstacle. The wind whistled passed his ear as he sailed through the air, and after a heartbeat, he had alighted on the craggy slopes of the mountainside with barely a scratch. Then, after one deep breath, he scaled the steep slopes on all fours as easily as a mountain goat could, his claws and powerful legs aiding him as he raced across the rugged terrain. And luckily for him, there were numerous ledges and footholds that were available for him to use when he came across a steep part of the mountainside.

Like his earlier journey through the floating rocks, he had no inkling as to how much time had passed, but thankfully it wasn't as monotonous as before. This time, he knew that he was making progress, and the mountain's peak was becoming more visible with each passing second. Unfortunately however, the farther up he went, the steeper the slope of the mountainside became. This time, he couldn't scale the slope as easily as he could earlier, which forced him to leap from one point to another, _again._ If it wasn't for the fact that he knew he was nearing his goal, he would've screamed in frustration.

At least it didn't get any colder as he moved higher up the mountainside. In some other circumstances, he would've been surprised to learn that, but now he simply shrugged it off and went along with it.

Finally, the light became more prominent on the horizon, and the after a brief glance, he saw that the peak was only but a short distance away. Elated, he quickened his pace, never halting as he ascended further, and despite himself, he couldn't help but wonder what awaited him at the top. He could only hope that there was at least a clue as to where he was, and _how_ did he get to this strange place.

His heart quickened as he approached the summit. He was so close. One last leap, and he should be able to….

He crossed the final distance in a single bound, and this time he alighted upon a small plateau overlooking the mountain's summit. Taking a moment to let his weight settle upon even ground once more, and reveling in the knowledge that he had _done_ it, he straightened and set his gaze upon the sight before him. Needless to say, for the second time that day, his face had adopted a rather awe-struck look, and he felt a weird feeling of familiarity well up inside him.

A small expanse of lush greenery filled the clearing before him, which was almost circular in nature. A plethora of plants and flowers, and a number of boulders dotted the landscape, while a small group of large oak trees stood at the west most side of the entire clearing. In the innermost center, was a small pool of pristine water, shaped like a tear, curved slightly to the side, with a large peach tree resting by its shores. Other than the visible plant life, there were no other living beings aside from him. But strangely, he could hear the chirping of birds somewhere along the tree lines.

And to top it all off, shining brightly in plain view above him, was the sun.

Like everything else in this strange world, the sun wasn't normal. In fact, it seemed _bigger_ , than it should be, like it was hovering too close to the earth for comfort. And instead off the usual white colored rays it should've been giving, it was instead giving off _golden_ rays of light – light so naturally golden that the whole summit resting underneath its gaze had an almost ethereal glow to it. And oddly enough, he could stare at it without having to squint his eyes at all, definitely not burning to his sensitive feline eyes.

The scene before him was a picture of natural beauty, he had to admit that much. But he shook his head – this wasn't the reason why he came here… or was it?

His eyes were drawn to the pool, which was giving off a mysterious glow not entirely due to reflecting the golden hues of the sunlight. Frowning warily, he leaped from his advantage point and landed a few feet away from the pool. The light reflecting from the pool was inviting, almost _too_ inviting, but he had to find out what it meant either way. He slowly walked towards the small body of water, the verdant grass crumbling underneath his feet as he passed, and stopped just before its edge.

The water, although as clear and tranquil as the skies before him, which was now conspicuously free of any floating rocks, offered nothing but his own reflection staring back at him. He could see himself clearly, but in his own visage he saw confusion, anger, and most prominently, despair. Was there nothing in this place that could help him? All he wanted was answers, and clearly this mountain held as much answers as the lone outcropping of rock he had awoken at.

An audible and low growl rumbled in his throat as his temper rose. At that point, he was sorely tempted to rip up one of the large oak trees nearby and use it to level the entire clearing. But he never got the chance however, as a sudden gust of wind literally knocked him of his feet. In unison, the grass, the branches of the trees, the leaves falling, all of them danced as the winds swept across the clearing, creating ripples in the pool's water. His ears perked up as the chirping of the birds silenced, the rustling of leaves halting, until the only sound he heard was the soft and gentle music of the wind. Then, his sensitive nose picked up a scent he found vaguely familiar and saddening at the same time.

The scent of… peach blossoms.

It was then he remembered that there was a peach tree standing across the pool. His sharp eyes caught a number of its leaves falling and being carried along by the wind. Like a living dragon, the small stream of pink petals fluttered about, weaving its way through the air until it came to gently rest on the still surface of the pool, prompting him to settle his gaze once more upon its waters. He didn't now know why he was wasting his time on looking at his own reflection, but this time his instincts told him that he should do so.

And lo and behold, his reflection _changed_. His own faced, which was mirrored in the still water, faded until something else took its place. He almost scrambled back in his surprise, but now he knew better, and instead looked deeply into the pool's reflective waters. In it, he saw a scroll – a scroll resting in the mouth of a golden dragon statue carved above a small pool in a hall of some sort, and unless he was mistaken, the scroll had a mystical aura surrounding it. The water rippled slightly, and the reflection shifted before showing another. His widened as he thoughtfully regard the waters, this time showing a snow leopard, fighting what appeared to be wooden devices with spinning spiked arms in another hall. With a jolt, he realized it was _him_ – younger, but still as strong and muscular as ever. He watched as his younger counterpart demolished the entire contingent of wooden machines in record time, bringing down each one so fast that he was but a blur, punching and kicking with such grace and precision, until there was one left standing. In an incredible display of skill, he deftly struck each arm and deflected them as they came around with lightning speed, until it too fell to join its fallen brethren in utter ruin.

Just as suddenly as it appeared, it faded too quickly for him to ponder on it, and was replaced by one other reflection after another. He saw an elderly tortoise, who stood on a small cliff overlooking a brightly lit village under the canopy of a peach tree, watching the darkening skies with a troubled look on his ancient face. The same village, with multiple houses destroyed, some burning heavily, sending up plumes of smoke into the midnight sky. A large band of armored rhinos walking along deserted road near a nearby village, guarding a horse drawn wagon with an iron cage secured on top of it. Five unbelievably agile figures darting across the rooftops of houses. Thunder and lightning rumbling against a dark sky as two figures – one significantly smaller than the other, fought before the large doors of a solitary temple.

He felt a flicker of unease as he beheld the last reflection, an infant – wrapped in a bundle of cloth, lay trembling in front of the gates of a walled courtyard. Moments later, the gates opened, to reveal a tiny figure, almost as big as the infant itself. He later recognized it as a male red panda, which naturally grew to such a diminutive size. He watched as the red panda regarded the infant in surprise, before cautiously moving forward to gently carry it in his arms.

The reflection shifted, giving him a clearer view of the infant's face, and an audible gasp left his lips. It was a snow leopard cub, barely a month year old. But the disconcerting part was, it looked familiar, as if it were someone he _should_ know. Those golden eyes…

The water rippled once more, and the vision faded, leaving his own reflection staring back at him.

A hurricane of emotions and thoughts churned within him, and his heartbeat and breathing had quickened. He knew without a doubt that those… visions he had seen, meant something to _him_. The tortoise and the red panda, they were almost familiar, but to his frustration, he couldn't remember any of them – he couldn't even recall ever training in a hall with wooden machines. And that baby….. Whether they were something of his past, or a premonition, he did not know, and it frustrated him beyond all reason to _not_ know.

The muscles in his face twitched violently, his fists clenching tightly at his sides as he breathe heavily through his bared teeth, his own reflection in the water mirroring his sentiments. Why couldn't he remember anything, _anything_ at all! Was this some cruel act of the gods themselves? First he wakes up in a place where absolutely nothing made sense, _then_ he has no recollection at all of how and when he got here. Why? Why was here? Why didn't anything make any sense at all? And in the name of all that was holy, _why_ wouldn't those bloody petals _stop circling him_ like a demented flying serpent –

He froze. His anger vanished instantly as he gaped in astonishment at the peach blossoms, which had suddenly risen back to the air from their resting place by the surface of the pool's water. He had not noticed the wind had picking up again. Unlike before however, the winds were gentle, caressing his fur as it blew pass. What caught his attention however, wasn't the fact that the peach blossoms were still dancing gracefully through the air as though they had a mind of their own. Rather, it was the manner in which they were moving through the air, which was almost hypnotic.

It was so familiar, the way they moved about, twisting in a coiling pattern and uncurling fluidly. He watched as they softly blew across the pool, as if silently caressing its still waters. Caressing….

He gasped as he suddenly _remembered_ something, a memory, brought forth from nowhere in the deep recesses of his mind.

 _"You were not meant to be the Dragon Warrior. That was not my fault!"_

 _It was those words that ignited his wrath. Even until now, as he pinned Shifu to the marble floor with the staff, his anger, and utter hatred had intensified. This… this bastard **dared** to tell him after twenty __long agonizing years spent **rotting away** in that god forsaken prison, that it was **not** his fault? All the pain and suffering he had went through to achieve that scroll, and after all his former master's promises, his dream that one day his greatest and only student would become the legendary Dragon Warrior, he went back on his word after that damned tortoise denied him his destiny with a simple shake of his head? Not on his watch. He had waited for far too long, and suffered just the same for his trouble. He would have that scroll._

 _Even if he had to kill his former master to get it._

 _"Give – me – the scroll!" he snarled through gritted teeth, clenching and unclenching his grip from the staff._

 _"I would rather die!" the red panda croaked back almost immediately_ _, glaring at him with fire in his aged eyes as he attempted admirably, but still so pitifully to free himself._

 _Those words stoked the burning embers of his anger even further. A menacing growl passed his lips, and he bore down with all his might on the staff, increasing the pressure on his former master's throat a hundredfold. The staff began to shake violently from the strain, but he ignored it. An unholy sensation of satisfaction, and utter joy filled him as pinned this hapless panda beneath him, who had begun to turn blue from the lack of air. He deserved this, and he had it a long time coming. He would crush the life out of this wretched bastard, and take what was rightfully his!_

 _But the force exerted by his arms were too much. With a resounding crack, the stout wooden staff snapped in half, and was thrown a few inches away from where he stood._

 _A slight breeze entered the hall, and peach blossoms came along with it, fluttering about in the wind as they floated over the two halves of the staff laying on the stone cold floor of the Jade Palace, as if to mourn the one of the last remembrances of the great Master Oogway._

 _But he did not care. Even as he watched his former master crawl weakly towards the broken staff, staring at it in dismay, he did not give a damn. That staff belonged to that senile old tortoise, and it was only fitting that he was the one to break it. Along with useless stick, he would break everything in this palace that meant something to Oogway. He denied him his destiny?_

 _So be it._

 _With that in mind, he unsheathed his claws once more, and lunged at his former master, anger and hate consuming him from within heart._

The memory faded, and he was suddenly wrenched back into reality.

It was the first of many, and he dropped to his knees, clutching his head in both his arms as it all came back to him. Like a raging torrent of water bursting forth from a dam, he _remembered,_ and his mind was overwhelmed by all his memories – everything he had experienced up until now.

He remembered his life back at the Jade Palace. Back then he knew he was adopted by Shifu, and he had trained in the ways of Kung Fu ever since he had learned to walk and to properly use his limbs. He remembered practicing forms and techniques every day until he bled and his bones literally cracked, forcing him to rest for days on end until he could get back on his feet. He remembered Oogway, the wise but still deranged tortoise, who had a hand in his training despite the former's initial reluctance. It was the Grandmaster himself who taught him subjects that all revolve around philosophy, on how to find peace in oneself and using his skills to help others as the highest aspiration one could strive for. That and there was more to life than Kung Fu (after teaching him a thing or two), and he had always insisted that he learn other things that may come useful for as long as he lived. He remembered the missions – quests to defend innocents against those who meant ill towards them. He was never alone however, as he was accompanied by either his master or the grandmaster, or the both of them together. He remembered the places he had seen, and the _people_ he met during that time.

He remembered his chaotic rampage in the Valley of Peace, after Oogway denied him the Scroll, which he paid for in Chorh-Gom prison. Twenty long years, and he was aware of _every – single – second_ passing by the moment he was chained to its lowest pits, guarded by the infamous Anvil of Heaven. He remembered how he had singlehandedly defeated the most elite group of warriors China had to offer, _and_ at the same time, escaped from a prison he knew was built solely to hold _him._ And he remembered the legendary Furious Five, who had all together presented a challenge to him at their battle on the Thread of Hope, and even then _five_ skilled and deadly kung fu masters weren't enough. They were feats to be proud of, but they weren't enough for him.

The Dragon Scroll…. that was his dream, to obtain the secret to limitless power which was the key to becoming the Dragon Warrior, a prophesied legendary warrior whose kung fu skills were nothing short of legend. It was what he had trained and trained for, for nearly all his life. All the sweat and _blood_ he had poured, he did it for that. But he'd be lying to himself if he said that he did it _only_ for that scroll. No… he truly did want to make his masters proud, and to prove them wrong, to show Shifu and Oogway that he was truly worthy for the title of Dragon Warrior, and to unlock the scroll's secrets. Now, it was as if someone had finally opened his eyes to the bitter truth.

 _You were not meant to become the Dragon Warrior!_

He had denied those words from the moment they were uttered by Shifu, but now… Shame, and the feeling of _failure_ entered his very being. Oogway's unspoken words came to mind, and he truly was _not_ worthy. He was never meant to become the Dragon Warrior.

He remembered the very person who had defeated him. The panda – _Po._. In the end, he was beaten by the very figure he sought to become, by a _panda_ no less. Utter shame and humiliation crept up to him as recalled his battle with the him, which felt like a thousand years ago, yet was still a very vivid memory in his mind. His defeat at the hands of Oogway prior to his incarceration at Chor-Ghom burned like fire every time he remembered how quickly the Grandmaster had struck him down, but this…

Try though as he might, he could not banish the thought that he had _failed_ , which hung on every corner of his mind until he could think of nothing else _._ For all his efforts, all the pain and suffering he had endured throughout his entire life to become the Dragon Warrior, and to finally unveil the secrets of that damned scroll, he had failed. It hurt, knowing that the very thing he had poured his sweat and blood for – the Dragon Scroll was _blank_. Even in death, Oogway must have been having a laugh at him for falling for his trick. There was no secret at all.

It hurt even more, knowing that he had been beaten fair and square by a panda of all animals. He had always prided himself on his skill and intellect in battle, but now he had allowed his emotions to get the better of him. His temper, his frustration swept away all reason from his mind and thus he had fought wildly, like a drunken swordsman who swung again and again, yet never hitting his mark. He was beaten by someone who has had less than a month to train in kung fu, and amazingly - with a physique that should've made it impossible for him to perform anything as difficult and as physically _demanding_ as kung fu - he had managed to learn enough of the art to defeat him. That fact alone made the panda worthier than he could ever hope to be.

And the Wuxi Finger Hold… how the panda ever came to learn one of the most powerful chi techniques in the world was beyond him, but he had seen it with his own eyes. He had heard legends of Master Wuxi's, one of the most famous and celebrated Kung Fu masters during the Third Dynasty, most famous technique. It was said only a warrior pure of heart and mind could harness the power of Chi to blast an opponent apart from within, and use it to send his enemy to … to the…

The Spirit Realm.

In another time, he might have been awed or slightly surprised at _where_ of all places he had wound up, but now he couldn't bring himself to care at all. If anything, he was grateful for the lack of any living beings in this place, and more so for the delicate peace it offered. Here, no one would judge him. No one would look down on him for _failing_. And whether the panda had killed him in the mortal realm or not was irrelevant, for he was as good as dead to everyone who knew of him as long as he was here.

A single tear rolled down his cheek, and it wasn't until his vision had become blurry and his breathing choked up that he had notice he was _crying._

Crying, because he had failed – he was not worthy at all, and it made all the pain and suffering he had gone through hurt even more in memory. Shifu was right – it wasn't his former master's fault at all. The fault lied with him… he had been arrogant, and too self-righteous to have claim that he _deserved_ the Dragon Scroll, when in reality, he was never meant to become the legendary Dragon Warrior in the first place.

All it had taken was a panda to show him the truth. Now he wished with all his heart that he could've seen it sooner.

He had failed...

And so he closed his eyes, attempting to stem the flow of tears in vain, and bowed his head, as if resigning himself to his fate. A sob building up in his throat threatened to escape him, but he stubbornly forced it down. He would not weep, and wallow in his grief and pain – he that much dignity left. But even as he dropped heavily to his knees in front of the pool and stared at his own broken reflection in its still waters, he uttered three words that were tinged with infinite sadness.

"I'm sorry… Baba"

IXIXIXIXIXIXIXIXIXIXI

"Yéyé, Yéyé look!" A young bunny pointed excitedly to a painting hanging on an alcove in the corner.

Gu Zhi looked on in amusement as his five year old grandson pulled along to see said painting, but in all honestly, he too was curious as to what else this museum had. Everything this valley had to offer was simply amazing. The tall and majestic mountains and its equally beautiful sunlit plains, the different kinds of trees and other wildlife surrounding the village proper, the many kinds of commodities, items and other attractions in the village itself - not to mention the good-natured folk living here. All in all, this place really lived up to its name.

And this museum... Today was the new Master's Council exhibit, and artifacts, ranging from weapons, armor, scrolls, books, even statues were displayed on various pedestals, altars and tables with attachments on them, armor stands, and multiple shelves standing by the marble walls. As soon as the museum officially opened, there would be a lot of people, so Gu was extremely grateful to the kindly guard outside for allowing him and his grandson to visit the museum earlier than what was scheduled.

There was simply so much authenticity and sheer memories that each of these artifacts held that he could understand his grandson's excitement. They saw the famous Sarcophagus of Su Wu, the eldest sister of the notorious Wu Sisters, a trio of skilled and deadly assassins known and feared all across China. (strange, he thought he heard faint snores coming from it) Next was a golden (and smaller) replica of the the Guardians, statues carved side by side in the likeness of the members of the Master's Council, with Master Storming Ox and Master Thundering Rhino on the right and left side respectively of the Ferocious Master Croc. Then there were other artifacts that belonged to the masters. One, according to the plaque underneath it, was the sword Master Ox had wielded to defeat the Macau Marauders. Another was a bamboo staff that Master Rhino had used to liberate the village of Wenshen. Then the last was a cape which Master Croc had used for - errr, apparently he only wore it for show.

He was glad he took the time to visit this place. Ever since Lord Shen's defeat two weeks ago in Gongmen City, the Dragon Warrior and his companions, the Furious Five and their famous master, were hailed as heroes, and many of the city's citizens were dying to know more about them. After the necessary repairs have been made to the damaged property caused in the battle (the ancestral home of the Peacock Clan however, needed a month to be rebuilt), and after the negotiations between the newly reinstated stewards of Gongmen City and Master Shifu, it's been decided that those who might be interested could join the masters of the Jade Palace on their return journey for a tour of the Valley of Peace. Needless to say, his favorite grandson was more than eager to take them up on their offer, and Gu wholeheartedly accompanied him. He loved his sweet Liàng, and this trip would certainly be a delightful and learning experience for him.

The elderly rabbit smiled fondly as he recalled the trip from Gongmen City. When the whole caravan stopped for a break during the day or night, some of the townspeople, which included his grandson, would use the opportunity to converse with the Dragon Warrior and his companions. To his surprise, they were more than willing to socialize with them - even the great Master Tigress, who was known for her stoic and taciturn personality, was warm and inviting to all of them.

Liàng would always be at the forefront of the listening crowd with the other children, as they would all listen to the wonderful tales and experiences imparted to them by the masters. And more than once, he caught the young one attempting sneaking out in the dead of night when he thought he was asleep, and then returning to their tent, with a sad look on his youthful face. It took a while for him to gently coax his grandson into telling him what was wrong, and soon enough he found out that the boy had only wanted to ask the Dragon Warrior, the Furious Five, and Master Shifu if they could sign his very exquisite and well-detailed paintings of them, but being the shy and timid boy he was, he couldn't approach them on his own.

Even at such a young age, Liàng was an extraordinary painter, and one could tell his skill came from his mother, who came from a long line of artists in Gongmen City. Having witness the battle between Lord Shen and his wolf army against the kung fu masters along the city's main waterway and at the harbor, his grandson was completely awestruck and enamored by them. After his encouragement and that of his parents (and help from his mother), Liàng had created an almost life like representation of the Dragon Warrior, the Furious Five, the members of the Master's Council and Master Shifu on a single piece of parchment in just under a week.

Gu knew how much this meant to him, and wanted to do it for him, but he knew that it would be better if the boy did it himself. And so with some encouragement, and the promise that he would be right behind him, Liàng had approached the masters one day after dinner and everyone else had retired for the night. After a silent moment, he had gathered enough courage to shyly ask the Dragon Warrior if he and his companions could sign his painting. To the young bunny's utter surprise, the panda warrior - Po, simply replied with a jolly "Sure thing buddy!" after the latter had asked his grandson's name.

He had called the others - the Furious Five and their master, the former patrolling the camp while the latter meditated on the branch of a small tree nearby, and Gu thought his little Liàng might faint from having the rest legendary masters so close to him. Then as if things couldn't get any more shocking for the young bunny, they all praised his work, with the elderly red panda even telling him that he had a gift - a gift that he should nurture for as long as he lived, and that once he was old enough, the Jade Palace would offer him a position at the village as an artist should he ever decide to return to the Valley of Peace. Gu was proud of his grandson, and couldn't wait to break the news to his parents once they returned home.

 _If_... they would even return home.

"Grandpa Gu, are you alright?" Liàng's concerned voice brought him out of his reverie. "You kinda spaced out a bit there." A worried look marred his youthful face, and Gu felt guilty for putting a damper on his good mood, even as he felt his heart swell with love and affection for his little Liàng.

"I'm fine young one." He replied, smiling reassuringly . "It's just your old man appreciating the beauty of this place."

A scandalized look appeared on the smaller rabbit's face. "But Yéyé, you aren't really that old! You're sixty - errr, sixty..." he trailed off, looking sheepish as he scratched his head.

"Sixty-four little one." Gu replied fondly, lightly ruffling his grandson's head. "And I thought I was the old one here!"

Liàng grumbled quietly at the offending hand, but acquiesced. "I just was wondering who are these two people in the painting." he said, pointing at the painting in question. Gu chuckled, and looked at the painting in question. It was clearly never meant to see the light of day - there was a fine layer of dust covering it, and even more strange was there wasn't a plaque, or anything to identify for who was it painted for.

The elder rabbit frowned and looked more closely. Although a bit blurred, the painting depicted three figures standing underneath the canopy of a tall peach tree in the light of the rising sun. On the left most side was a tortoise, leaning on a wooden staff which he soon realized as the legendary creator of kung fu, and the author of the Dragon Scroll itself. He was the great Master Oogway. Next was a more familiar face: Master Shifu, who stood with his arms clasped behind his robes. In this painting he looked younger, but was definitely beginning to show signs of old age. And the third figure was a male snow leopard, standing with a proud smile on his face as he crossed his thick arms. Unlike the two masters on his right, this one looked to be in the prime of his life. Standing taller than the tortoise and the red panda, he was very good-looking (for his species), extremely muscular and powerfully built. There was no doubt that he too was a kung fu practitioner, if not a master.

But with his level of skill and strength? He was surprised he hadn't earned the Dragon Scroll...

"...I only recognize Master Shifu in the painting, but I don't know the other two. Are they kung fu masters Yéyé?" Liàng asked, clearly fascinated by the two figures in the painting. Gu hesitated, thinking how much he should tell him. The story of Shifu's prodigious son was a long and very sad one; he himself didn't know much of it, but he knew enough, and more often than not he still wondered how and why had the once noble warrior fallen so far. As for his grandson, he was too young to understand, and he wasn't so sure if he was the best person to impart this tale. Better if one of the masters of the Jade Palace themselves were to tell this story.

He sighed - having decided - and quietly began.

"Firstly, the old tortoise you see young one, is Master Oogway."

Liàng gasped. "Wait, you mean that's Master _Oogway_?" The great warrior and creator of kung fu from Master Po and Shifu's story? Wow!" He suddenly looked confused. "But he's an old tortoise Yéyé. How could he be a great warrior?"

"Just because he's old doesn't mean that he can't fight young one." Gu admonished him gently. "Look at Master Shifu. He may be old, but yet he was able to fight very bravely against Lord Shen and his army along with the other masters. Remember what I taught you, and do not judge a book by its cover."

Liàng looked ashamed. "Oh... I'm sorry Yéyé." he apologized.

He softened at the look on his face, and laid a paw on his hs shoulder. "No, it's quite alright. In fact, I too used to think that how on earth could a tortoise be a kung fu master, when they're known to be very slow and cumbersome? You ask me, what changed my mind then?"

The young bunny brightened, and asked him pleadingly. "Ohhhh! What changed your mind Yéyé? Please, oh please tell me!"

Gu chuckled. "Well, it's quite the tale, but it all began ten years ago, just a few days after the Master's Council was formed, on the night of the Firework Festival.

It was unlike any other Firework festival in Gongmen City's history, as that was the first one the people would be celebrating under the new stewardship of the masters, who joined us in the festivities. It was very fun, the entire festival. There were many soft but brilliant lights hanging from everyone's houses. A different array of food and other items were sold in the streets, and the best part were the fireworks exploding in the sky. Indeed, that was one of the most memorable Firework Festival I've ever attended in all my years. But what made it even more special was that Master Oogway visited the city that night to join us in celebrating, both for the festival and for his fellow masters. It was certainly quite the surprise for all of us, as he had come without warning. But afterwards, we simply accepted him into our little festival and carried on." He smiled. "I have not met him personally, but as I watch him from afar, chatting amiably with many people, I could tell that he was a great man and a gentle soul. He seemed to be particularly fond of children.

Now here's where the exciting part comes, after some time, the masters had suddenly announced that they would conducting a small sparring match in the town square as a tribute. I was excited, as that was the very first kung fu fight I'd experience in my whole life. Can you guess who were the first ones to spar? That's right. It was Master Rhino against Master Oogway."

He paused, recalling the exhilarating, but still very dangerous and _physical_ spar. "I have no other words to describe their fight, except that it was simply stunning! At first I thought Oogway had no chance against Rhino, who was almost three times the tortoise's size. But I was shocked, when I saw the turtle move with a swiftness his aged body should not have been able to accomplish. Though he was on the defensive, he blocked and deflected every punch and kicks Rhino threw at him so fast that he was almost a blur. He even managed to stop Rhino's giant fist with his own bare hand! But that's not to say Master Rhino wasn't as impressive. While he wasn't as agile as the old tortoise, he still moved with a grace that belied his great bulk. And his strikes were simply so powerful that Oogway was forced to jump back several feet to avoid them."

"The whole fight, it was like watching two leaves dancing in a storm together, and everyone was in awe of their skill." he ended his tale with barely concealed awe.

Liàng, who had been listening with rapt attention from the start, now sported a gobsmacked expression on his face. "That... must have been awesome!" he said animatedly after a moment. "And Master Oogway must have been very strong as well to hold his own against Master Rhino!"

Gu threw back his head and laughed. "Ohhh, he was more than strong young one. In fact he was the winner of the sparring match. He won by grabbing Rhino's arm and hurling him fifteen feet into the air!"

"Whoa... but Master Rhino wasn't hurt, was he?" He smiled at the sincere concern in the young bunny's voice. He was not only a smart boy for his age, but he was kind and caring to others. Just like Oogway...

"Don't worry. It was only a spar, and Oogway caught him as he fell. Also, I doubt he would hurt him - he was a kind and caring being. Like you little one." he reassured him, but then added mischievously. "But he did bop him on the nose for his trouble."

Liàng giggled, then looked back at the painting with wonder and admiration. "Master Oogway really was a great kung fu master then Yéyé?"

"The very best." he replied with a smile.

"Then... who's that one then. The big snow leopard?"

Gu's smile dropped slightly. He thought long and hard, before sighing and relenting. "That's the adopted son of Master Shifu." he told him quietly.

"Ummm, adopted son?" his grandson queried.

"Oh, I had forgotten that you need more words for you vocabulary list. But essentially, when I say adopted son, it means that he wasn't really Shifu's son, but rather Shifu took him in and raised him as his own."

"But why Yéyé? What happened to his parents?"

"That's the thing, and no one knows for sure." he replied. "Shifu suddenly found him on a cold winter night many years ago, just outside the gates of the Jade Palace. Since the cub was apparently abandoned, Shifu decided to raise him as his own son, and train him in the ways of kung fu."

"... It's sad that he never knew his parents."

With that, Gu inwardly agreed. "That it is..." he muttered sadly.

"But there's more to his story, right Yéyé?" Liàng asked. "Also where is he now? He looks very strong, so I'm guessing he must be a very great kung fu master."

"He _was_ a great kung fu master. He died two years ago." He knelt and gently grasped his grandson's shoulders. "Listen to me Liàng-" he said, using his name for emphasis. "I'll explain it to you when you're old enough, but I'm not the best person to tell you this person's story. I have no right, and it would be best if someone else, preferably Master Shifu, tells you.

The young bunny looked more confused than ever. "But - but why Grandpa Gu?"

"You are not old enough, young one." he repeated insistingly. "And I'm not the right person to tell you. It would be wrong of me to do so. And I know only little of his story to begin with." Looking at his grandson beseechingly in the eyes, he said gently. "When you're old enough, I promise I'll explain to you why, alright?" The younger rabbit looked down sadly, and it made his heart ache terribly, but he held firm. It wasn't for his sake that he was withholding this information, and he had every intention of fulfilling his promise once the boy was old enough.

After a moment of reflective silence, Liàng nodded. "Okay Yéyé."

Gu smiled. "That's my boy." he said, and gently brought his grandson into his arms for a warm hug, which the young bunny returned.

Breaking apart, he exclaimed jovially. "Now, I have a surprise for you young! You said you wanted to see more of Dragon Warrior and his friends in action right?" he grinned at the young bunny's surprised and delighted face. "Well, it just so happens that there's going to be a small tournament between the masters in the Palace Arena before the museum opens, and the entire village has been invited to watch. Do you want to..."

"Yes!" Liàng nearly screamed at delight at the news.

"Then let's go! Don't want to be late now would we?" The younger rabbit looked ready to dash all the way to the arena, before he suddenly froze and looked back at the painting. Surprised at this sudden change, he asked. "What is it Liàng?"

He was silent for a moment, before quietly asking with a hopeful tone, "... Ummm, Yéyé, if I'm not old enough to hear that man's story, can I at least know his name?"

Gu was about to protest, until he looked into the young bunny's eyes, so hopefully bright and full of unrestrained love. And he had to admit the boy had an unspoken point, and he wasn't asking for much. Sighing in resignation, he told his grandson.

"His name... was Tai Lung."

IXIXIXIXIXIXIXIXIXIXI

 _"What we want in life, is often not what we truly need to live, and just because we have worked ourselves to the bone to achieve something doesn't always mean we have earned it."_

* * *

 **AN:**

 **First off, this little one-shot was inspired mainly because of Kung Fu Panda 3. Apparently it's been confirmed that Tai Lung was indeed sent to the Spirit Realm after Po skadooshed him in the first film, and that his chi was also taken by Kai. (while not clearly seen, Tai Lung was actually in one of the jade pendants on Kai's belt)**

 **Anyways, ever since I've learned this, it got me wondering: if Tai was sent to the Spirit Realm via Wuxi Finger Hold, what happened then? What was it like for the snow leopard, suddenly waking up in a strange place he's never seen before, only to find out in the end that he's in the Spirit Realm? What were his thoughts on the revelation of the Dragon Scroll being blank? And thus, those little questions led to the birth of this here one-shot.**

 **There are a few references here that I've made. One was the rock Tai first awoke on in the beginning of this fic, which was actually the same rock he used to hurl at Shifu in their battle during the first film. Second, if you'll notice, I mentioned this little passage in the first few paragraphs, '** _ **He even saw one such mountain shaped rock of such great size with a gleaming city built next to its peak'.**_ **Yes, that was a reference to Mount Olympus from Greek Mythology. :P Next was of course, the whole scene with Gu Zhi and Liàng, which took place just after the ending of 'Secrets of the Masters' (yes, if you noticed that bit with the Sarcophagus of Su Wu, Po's still trapped in there. xD). Lastly, was the ending move Gu mentioned in his story that Oogway used to defeat Rhino in their spar, which was done in the same way Oogway threw Rhino, Croc, and Ox when they were crossing the "Bridge" of Mists in Secrets of the Masters as well. I find it rather funny how Oogway can effortlessly throw people thrice his size, so I couldn't resist adding that bit.**

 **Alrighty, that's all I got. I originally wanted to write _just_ a one-shot, but writing this has made me want to write more. So if you're interested in a sequel, I'll be happy to write one.**

 **So hope you enjoyed reading this! :D**

 **-The Burning Pillar**


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